Evacuation not based on intelligence inputs

Question on EvacuationQuestions mount over the Punjab government’s decision to evacuate around eight lakh people along the Pakistan border, with intelligence sources telling that it was not based on any security assessment from the central agencies.

The evacuation of around 800 villages situated within 10 km distance of the International Border has become a political issue, with the Opposition questioning the rationale behind the move.

Who Guards border with Pakistan The Border Security Force mans the 2,308 km-long border with Pakistan from Gujarat to Jammu and Kashmir.

In Jammu district, 192 km of the International Border, referred to as a working boundary by Pakistan, is manned by the BSF, while the remaining 8 km is secured by the Indian Army. The 740 km LoC, running along Kashmir is entirely secured by the Army.

No Precedent of evacuation and cross border firing “There has been no instance in the past when the border villages in Punjab have been evacuated like this, ” said a senior BSF official.

Another official said it was highly unlikely that there would be firing along the Punjab border, as both the sides are densely populated and dominated by agrarian population.